Creating a Zion Culture in the Midst of Babylon
This is a duplicate of the article I wrote for FatherThyWillBeDone.com . If you wish to comment, please do so on that site, not here. Elder David R. Stone of the Seventy delivered a fantastic talk in the April 2006 General Conference on the Subject of “Creating Zion in the Midst of Babylon” I found particularly poignant his comments on popular culture: Link to Full Article Text with links for video or Audio I quote some specific excerpts below that stood out by their relevance to the... ...more
Lead Kindly Light
I believe the essence of the Gospel is simply: are we willing to be guided and led by a Father in Heaven when we do not see where He is leading us, but simply trust Him. I believe that is the really crucial test of this life. The reason is this: we cannot hope to become like Him without growing in ways that are uncomfortable and seem unnecessary at the time, or rather have reasons we cannot hope to comprehend until we have passed the test. This process of growing up into the fullness of our Father’s... ...more
The Futility of Religious Debate with Unbelievers
I remember a conversation I once had with a fellow student who lived in my university dormitory. We were talking about a conversation he had had with another student late one night. My friend, a Christian, was trying to defend the fundamental principle of theism, while his conversant, an atheist was trying to defeat it. Back and forth they argued for hours. My friend said that on several occasions in their debate he had laid out such a logically impeccable train of arguments that they were very close... ...more
Why I am a Latter-day Saint
Religion is such a personal issue. What makes a person embrace a particular faith? What makes him change from one faith to another? These are questions that not even the most knowledgeable psychologist can answer for certain. Sometimes we make the often unfair judgment that someone holds or converts to a faith out of some sort of fanaticism, that he or she was brainwashed. While brainwashing can and does occur, I think most people have sincere reasons for believing as they do. As a member of a church... ...more